karen ruane: Stitching a Story

For centuries women have used cloth as a tool of comfort and as an expression of beauty within their homes. Creating cloth for warmth, cloth for shelter, our female predecessors embellished these linens with hand stitch using laborious and time consuming techniques thereby enhancing the functional beauty of objects which enveloped and protected their families. Inspired by these women I hope my creations pay tribute to and recognise the devotion expressed in cloth by our female ancestors .

''the use of traditional often time consuming process alludes to the devotion of a mother''. c K. A. Ruane 2007

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Stitching a Story

Stitching a Story

A story.....
a narrative, either true or fictitious, in prose or verse, designed to interest, amuse, or instruct the hearer or reader...

or....in this case....to record with stitch.

Stitching a story, a children's book, a little doodling, play, stitch on pages, stitch on cloth.

Beginning Monday May 2 for 16 weeks.

There will be a two week break after week 7 (from June 19 to July 4)
Actual running length of class will therefore be 18 weeks.

Two posts a week on a private password protected blog. A minimum of two hours video per week.

Access to all resources is permanent.

**you do not need to have participated in any of my previous online learning programmes in order to participate in ''patched pockets.''***

No prerequisites. Suitable for the beginner and the more experienced stitcher.

In addition to a private blog you will be given access to a private Flickr group where you will be able to interact with other members of the group, upload images of your work, receive feedback, give feedback, share technique, hints, tips.....

Previous online learning programmes I have hosted have resulted in the formation of a tightly knit group of like minded people who share the creative process in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. It's almost as if groups ''hold hands'' throughout. For me, this is one of the most appealing and rewarding aspects of these classes.

(I am also aware that some people prefer to work quietly with minimal interaction. That is OK too.)

There are no deadlines, no set tasks. You are under no obligation to create what I am creating. Many people in previous classes have merely taken notes in order to apply ideas to their own work. Please take as much or as little as you wish from this programme, tailor my demonstrations to suit your own creative needs.

During the course of this 16 week online class, using a children's book for inspiration and as a ledger (sketchbook) for design ideas I hope to develop stitched pieces on cloth which will be inspired by images from my children's book. Using processes such as stitching, doodling, collage, layering, cutting, pleating etc on the pages of my children's book, I will develop ideas upon and within those pages by allowing paper and page to become a vehicle for sampling and developing embroidery before beginning embroidery on cloth.

Stitch

Collage

Doodle

Layer

Fold

etc etc

The use of a children's book or any other type of book is not compulsory. It is quite acceptable to participate in this class at a level of your own choosing. For example, you may have no desire to work in a book of any kind, preferring instead to take information from video and execute your ideas directly onto cloth. That is 100% OK. I want you to take from this experience whatever suits you, whatever works for you.

- See more at: http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/#sthash.NeF5FKHw.dpuf